Audio and video playback systems are very well known. A number of modern electronic and computer-based devices support playback of audio and/or video content. For example, most portable computer systems (such as laptop computers and tablet computers) support the playback of digital music files, video files, DVD movie content, video game content, and the like. Moreover, some systems support 3D video technologies that present video content in a 3D space such that the viewer perceives images at locations other than the plane of the physical display screen.
Surround sound and 3D audio technologies may also be supported by a variety of systems. Surround sound and virtual surround sound methodologies provide discrete sound sources at different locations relative to the listener, e.g., front left, front right, front center, rear left, and rear right. In contrast to traditional surround sound, 3D audio creates a realistic spatial sound environment for the listener in a manner that does not strictly depend on the positioning of the listener relative to the speakers.
While 3D digital video presentation has advanced over the last several years, the spatial audio representation of that video content has remained an angular spatial representation of the content, rather than a true 3D representation of the content and its movement. 3D video has allowed the perceived image to leave the display screen and move out into the user's environment, but the audio representation is usually held back to the distance of the reproduction transducers and behind. Additionally, the creation of audio content for 3D visual content has remained a very manual artistic expression, rather than an accurate rendition physically tied to the image that is supposed to be producing the sound. Thus, even though 3D video technology allows video objects to “leave” the display screen, the sounds and audio associated with those video objects may not accurately track the virtual positioning within the 3D space.
Accordingly, there is a need for a 3D audio rendering technique that is suitable for use with 3D video content. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.